Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Family Group:

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp (13455 Tpr: S. A. Dighton, 73rd Coy. Imp: Yeo:) note incorrect second initial, toned, extremely fine

Six: Captain D. O. Dighton, West Yorkshire Regiment, late 7th Canadian Infantry
1914-15 Star (77442 Pte. D. O. Dighton. 7/Can: Inf:); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. D. O. Dighton.); Belgium, Kingdom, Croix de Guerre, A.I.R., unnamed, mounted as worn with matching mounted set of miniatures; together with France and Germany Star and War Medal 1939-45, these in their named Air Ministry card box of issue with entitlement slip, extremely fine (7) £200-£240

Stanley Moore Dighton was born in 1857 and baptised at St Mary’s Church, Cheltenham, on 22 July. For some years before the outbreak of the war in South Africa he was a tea planter in Kerala, India. He married in April 1890, Georgiana Louisa Deane, and by her had a daughter who died shortly after birth in March 1892. A son, Dennis Onslow (qv) was born on 5 October 1893. Twin daughters were born to the couple on 15 December 1897, but then tragedy struck with the sudden death of his wife on 4 January 1897, closely followed by the deaths of the twins Winifred on 10 April, and Georgiana just five days later. No doubt these tragic events caused him to return to England with his surviving son. He enlisted into the 19th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry (Paget’s Horse) at London on 21 March 1900, aged 40, and served in South Africa from 1 April to 23 July, 1900 (Medal with Clasp). In about 1904 he emigrated to British Columbia and, having remarried, was living at Cowichan Bay where, on 31 October 1908, a second son was born. Stanley Dighton died on 7 September 1920, at Duncan, Vancouver Island. Sold with several original photographs of Stanley Dighton and his first wife, Georgiana.

Dennis Onslow Dighton was born at Travancore, India, on 5 October 1893. He emigrated with his father, via England, to British Columbia in about 1904, settling at Cowichan Bay, Vancouver Island. He became a land surveyor and railway engineer for the state of British Columbia, and was already active in the 50th Gordon Highlanders (Militia) when he attested for the 30th Reserve Battalion C.E.F. at Victoria B.C. on 7 November 1914. He transferred to the 7th Battalion C.E.F. and served with it in France from 4 May 1915 until 15 December 1915, when he was discharged on appointment to a commission in the ‘New Army’ as 2nd Lieutenant in the 21st Battalion (Pioneers) West Yorkshire Regiment, based at Skipton, Yorkshire. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 8 May 1916, and after finishing training proceeded with the battalion to France on 20 June 1916. He was promoted to Captain on 4 May 1917, and was gassed on 6 April 1918, remaining in hospital in France and London until 27 May 1918. Upon release from the Army in May 1919, the Colonel Commanding 3rd Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, stated in his Record of Services, ‘A good officer, served a considerable time at the front and did well. Was twice wounded & awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre. Conduct quite satisfactory.’ The award of the Belgian Croix de Guerre was announced in the London Gazette of 15 April 1918. Returning to Canada after the war he lived in Vancouver until the late 1930’s when he returned to England. During the Second war he served as an Aircraftman 1st Class in the R.A.F.V.R. from 4 January 1944 to 24 June 1945, and was issued with the France and Germany Star and War Medal 1939-45.

Sold with a quantity of original documents and photographs, including West Yorks. Regt. group photograph; Discharge Certificate (15 December 1915); Officer’s Record of Services (Army Book 439); Royal Air Force Service and Release Book; City of Vancouver Poll-Tax receipt 1935; Individual Liquor Permit 1936, etc.; Canadian (1936-41) and British (1946-53) Passports; National Identity Card; four family photograph albums, mostly of Canada between the wars; and related books on the Dighton family.